Save the #bees: Ban neonicotinoids pesticides

Bees around the world are dying and their disappearance threatens the food chain and biodiversity. Among the causes of this loss are toxic pesticides. Europe could finally decide to ban them, if we act quickly.

Last week, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a report which for the first time condemned the three main pesticides [1] highlighting the risks they pose to bees and advising a ban in the EU. It confirms what we beekeepers, citizens, associations, have denounced for years - that pesticides are killing bee populations.

But under pressure from the pesticide industry, the European authorities may decide not to follow this advice and not to take strong measures, namely an outright ban of these pesticides. They must decide on the matter on January 31st.

That leaves us just a few days to ask the European Union to ban these pesticides without delay and show the EU that this is the time to act to save the bees.

We have a unique opportunity to get the EU authorities to move in the right direction to save the bees. But citizens and beekeepers need to speak out louder than lobbies.

On January 16, EFSA issued three opinions confirming the devastating effects of neonicotinoid pesticides on bees. Member States of the European Union will meet on January 31 to answer to this report and announce an action plan.